More To This Life
by Rinnalaiss Turegwaithen
Summary: Kai looked up as Boris' foot made painful contact with his cheek, his already smeared face paint was messed up more as blood came from the wound caused by his teeth cutting through his cheek when he was kicked. Boris continued, showing less then mercy. Bo


More To This Life Written by: Rinnalaiss Turegwaithen  
  
Disclaimer: You guys/girls are imaginitive, guess.  
  
One-shot. Please don't hate me! Flamers shall be used to light my arrows on fire so I can play as a medival archer, hee hee.  
  
This is totally not like me, I normally write humor but now I see that I'm kinda good at angst. I haven't seen all of the final episodes so don't flame me if I get a few things wrong. I did use some dialouge(sp) from the episode that I did see, when it's the AllStarz vs. Kai. Sorry if my grammer stinks. This proves that I can do Kai angst that doesn't involve Mary Sues. Well, N~joy NE-way.  
  
Music I'm listening to now: Instead-Stacie Orrico  
  
Symbols 'n crud:  
  
~* Flashbacks *~ "Speech..." 'thoughts..' *dreams* ~~~~ = change of scene  
  
Rating: PG-13 for excessive violence, death, angst,  
  
If you have a hate of blood and death this is your warning, leave immediatly!  
  
Pairings: None! If the characters have physical contact(ie. hugs, kisses ect.), it's meant as a brotherly/sisterly/fatherly/motherly gesture, nothing more.  
  
Translation to Japanese words used in this fic at end.  
  
START:  
  
(Location: Balkov Abbey, before Russian Tourny)  
  
Fifteen year old Kai Hiwatari lay in his bed, asleep. Tears flooded his closed crimson eyes.  
  
* "Dad! Leave Kai alone! He's only a child, I won't let you use him as a guinea pig!" twenty-six year old Alexeev Hiwatari stood between his father, Voltaire, and his family. Twenty-five year old wife Miyeko and five year old son, Kai.  
  
"The blood of a Hiwatari runs in his veins, it is his destiny to be perfect!" Voltaire yelled back and slapped his son."I have had enough of your insolence, boy! The child shall come with me!"  
  
"Get out!" Alexeev growled the order through clenched teeth at his father. His aqua colored eyes were filled with anger. His cheek turned from a pressure white color to a furious red.  
  
"You have no rule over me, boy!" Voltaire roared.  
  
"You are in my home, I have the right to have you removed like the rodent you are, Father," Alexeev snarled in disgust at the older man."Be gone!"  
  
"If that's what you want, Alexeev. But I'm taking the child with me," Voltaire said, regaining his composure.  
  
Kai clung to his mothers skirt as she knelt beside him, her long arms encircled the little half Russian in a calming embrace. Kai buried his tear stained face in his mothers long, Japanese black, hair.  
  
"Leave our home now, Voltaire! And never return, onibaba," Miyeko's usually soft, red eyes burned with an undying hatred for the man before them.  
  
"You disrespectful fools, you shall learn to respect me soon enough!" with that, Voltaire left, slamming the door behind him.  
  
"Okaasan, Okaasan!" Kai curled into his mothers arms as she stood and cradled him. He sniffed back the tears that flowed from his puffy, red eyes. Alexeev walked over and ran his fingers through his sons floppy, two- toned hair, like his."Suki desu, otoosan."  
  
"Hey little one, how about mommy and daddy take you to your room and tuck you in bed. You look like the SandMan got to you," Alexeev walked behind his wife as she climbed the stairs, carrying Kai.  
  
When they got to the young Hiwatari's room, Alexeev grabbed something small from his pocket as Miyeko sat in the rocking chair, singing in Japanese to their son.  
  
"Boku-tachi wa Ikiru hodo ni Nakushite'ku Sukoshi zutsu Itsuwari ya Uso wo matoi Tachisukumu Koe mo naku  
  
Aoi aoi sora no iro mo Kidzukanai mama Sugite yuku mainichi ga Kawatte yuku  
  
Tsukurareta wakugumi wo koe Ima wo ikite Sabitsuita Kokoro mata ugokidasu yo  
  
Toki no rizumu wo shireba Mo ichido toberu darou  
  
Boku-tachi wa Samayoi nagara Ikite yuku Doko made mo Shinjite'ru Hikari motome Arukidasu Kimi to ima"  
  
Kai's eyes started to fall heavy as his parents tucked him into the safety of his blankets and pillows. His father handed him a small disk.  
  
"Here, take Dranzer. Keep her safe, and she shall do the same for you," Alexeev kissed his small son on the forehead."Now, get some sleep. Mommy and Daddy will be downstairs if you need us."  
  
"Yes, be off to your world of dreams, my son. Suki desu," Miyeko also kissed her son."Just call if you need a thing."  
  
"Hai, Okaasan, Otoosan, suki desu," Kai fell into slumber, his tiny hand curled into a gentle fist around the phoenix chip. His parents casted his sleeping form one last glance before leaving, unaware of what was to come.*  
  
Kai turned over in his sleep, crystal tears stained the thin pillow under his head. He mumbled something in a saddened voice.  
  
"Mom...Dad...don't go..." his face was full of grief. It went unknown that his stirring had awakened his roommate in the bed across from his. The sleepy Russian teen looked at his comrade with sleep clouded eyes.  
  
"Not again," the red head whispered. Kai turned over again, his tears fell harder as hiccups shook his pale frame. He shivered under the paper thin blanket.  
  
* Five year old Kai awoke to the shouts of rage and shrieks of terror which echoed from the living room on the first floor. He heard his dad yell a few cusses in Russian at someone.  
  
Kai slide out of his bed, Dranzer still in his hand as he made his way to the bedroom door. He steathly desended the stairs, peeking over the rail to see his dad get punched in the jaw by a man in a black suit.  
  
"Miyeko, get outta here!" Alexeev cried as he fell to the wooden floor.  
  
"I won't leave you!" she threw the man who grabbed her from behind. Miyeko ran to her husbands side and draped his arm over her shoulder to help him stand.  
  
The door flew open and Voltaire stood in the door way, his lackey stood next to him. A glare was painted across Voltaire's features.  
  
"Voltaire..." Miyeko whispered in terror as the man stepped infront of her.  
  
"I gave you a chance and you threw it back in my face, this is the last time you disrespect me!" Voltaire pulled a gun from his coat. He raised it, released the safety, and shot Alexeev through the chest.  
  
Blood leaked from Alexeev's wound, staining his gray shirt. His blueish eyes widened then shrunk in pain.  
  
"Miye...ko..." Alexeev's body slumped against his wife's as he became a lifeless heep of flesh and bone.  
  
"Koi! Don't go! Suki desu Alexeev, suki desu!" the Japanese woman cried into her husband's blue hair, Voltaire cocked his gun again.  
  
Miyeko heard Kai crying from the stair rail, she suddenly became more determined to not let the monsters before her take her son. She jumped up as Voltaire fired, the silver bullet embedded itself in Alexeev's dead skull. Miyeko ran up the stairs at a humanly impossible speed and grabbed her horror filled son.  
  
"Okaasan?" Kai peered over his mothers shoulder to see the purple haired man, his grandfather had dragged along, chase after them. Voltaire smirked evilly at him from his spot at the bottom of the stairs.  
  
"It's okay, my baby. Don't look back," Miyeko's voice was soothing as she climbed out a window and onto the roof.'Thank goodness I did martial arts.'  
  
She jumped across to the roof of the house across from theirs. Kai buried his face in the curve of his mother's neck. The man still followed.  
  
Miyeko stopped when she reached the end of the row of houses. She turned to face her nemesis.  
  
"This ends now!" she placed Kai carefully on the flat rooftop and took a defensive stance.  
  
"Too true, wench," the purple haired man bared his crooked teeth in a sinister grin."Too true."  
  
Miyeko ducked as the man punched at her, her hair danced in the wind and by the motion.  
  
"Your moves need work, Boris," she spat his name as if it were a curse, throwing a hard punch at him. It barely connected with the sinister man's shoulder.  
  
"You're no better, broad," he kicked her in the stomach, she tumbled back, growling low. Boris fought her until she was against the edge of the high roof, Kai cried to her in Japanese.  
  
Fate was against Miyeko as it started to rain, causing the roof to grow slippery. She slipped, falling from the rooftop. Just as she was about to fall to her death, Boris grabbed her arm.  
  
"What...why?" Miyeko's crimson eyes were full of question.  
  
"It's a pity to kill such a pretty girl as her child watches, any last words?" Boris grinned cruelly.  
  
"Hai, I'm sorry for failing you Kai. I'm sorry for not being able to protect you...I'm sorry," Miyeko's eyes overflowed with crystal tears which trickled down her paled cheeks."I love you. Suki desu."  
  
"Awww....how sweet, too bad your son will be parentless. Don't worry wench, we'll take care of the boy," Boris let go of her hand, letting her fall to the concrete below her. There was a sickening crack as her neck, collarbone, and arm broke.  
  
Blood mixed with rain left a trail down the sidewalk and to the sewer drain as it spilled from the wound at her elbow where the bone broke through her skin and also from where her collarbone cut through her neck. Her glazed over eyes stared unseeing at Kai who leaned over the roof edge crying.  
  
"Okaa....san...." he cringed as Boris shot her between the eyes just to make sure she couldn't come back somehow. Tears fell with the rain over Kai's pale cheek as Boris grabbed him by his shoulders. The man laughed evilly. *  
  
Two hands grabbed Kai's shoulders as he thrashed in his sleep. The boy who had grabbed him shook Kai until he was kicked at. The red head easily dodged the blow meant for his face.  
  
"Kai, snap out of it! Wake up," the ice eyed teen whispered to the struggling Russian. He slapped the sleeping boy awake."Brother, calm down!"  
  
"Tala, brother," Kai cried into his brothers arms.  
  
"That dream is back, no?" Tala ran his fingers through his brothers limply spiked hair. Kai nodded his head.  
  
"Hai..." he sniffed back tears. Tala chuckled.  
  
"I don't speak Japanese, Mr. Multilingual," he smirked, trying to lighten his brother's mood.  
  
"Hmph..." was Kai's only answer, but it sounded like a stiffled laugh.  
  
Tala rubbed Kai's back to loosen any tense muscles."I'm glad you're back, but I also wish you weren't. Those dreams I'm guessing are triggered by the memories you obtained when you came back. Am I not right?"  
  
"You're right, Tala, brother, but-" Kai was cut off as the guards knocked on the door to wake anyone who was asleep.  
  
"Hurry up and get ready! You have five minutes to be ready for food," the husky guards voice growled. His footsteps faded as he walked away, knocking on everyone's door to wake them.  
  
"Why does it feel like we're in a prison?" Kai grabbed his clothes and blue face paint with a brush and went to the bathroom.  
  
"Because we practically are," Tala remarked, gathering his own clothes.  
  
When Kai was dressed, he opened his paint and picked up his paint brush. He finished painting his face and left, letting Tala get dressed in the cramped bathroom.  
  
"We have three minutes, slowpoke," Kai said, tying his scarf as Tala came out, pulling on his boots.  
  
They ran out the door of their room as did the rest of the boys.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~  
  
"Boris, I want you to teach my ignorant grandson a lesson. I won't let him go unpunished for disobeying my orders," Voltaire sat with his back to his purple haired lackey, as he sat in a large office chair.  
  
"Of course, Hiwatari-sama. I'll make this such a lesson, he'll wish that he had never left," Boris bowed grinning cruelly.  
  
"I don't want to hear that you're going to do it, I just want you to do it. Go!" Boris walked out after the old man's outburst.  
  
'This will be fun,' Boris shut the door behind him.'Very fun indeed.'  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~  
  
Kai and Tala had just finished scarfing down the little bit of so-called food that had been in the center of the wooden plates they were given. Kai placed his plate on the rickety old table they sat at with the rest of the Demolition Boys, Ian, Bryan, and Spencer.  
  
Spencer continued to glare at Kai when he finished his 'food', Kai took notice.  
  
"Don't look at me like that, it's annoying,"Kai said, sending Spencer a death glare.  
  
Before Spencer could stand up and cause much physical pain for Kai, Boris came into the room. All the boys in the room soon became silent in fear. Kai had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, he had a feeling that Boris wasn't here to torment the others.  
  
"Guards, bring young Kai along," Boris ordered at the end of his little speech. Three large guards, with the muscle mass of a few bulls on steriods, obeyed like dogs and grabbed Kai. Kai fought, punching the one guard, but his attempt was worthless when he was dragged from his place on the bench and out the door."The rest of you will finish in five minutes and begin your training. Understood?"  
  
The boys agreed, afraid of what would happen if they didn't. Tala watched the door Kai was dragged through, kicking and screaming. Thoughts of what would happen entered his mind.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
Kai was thrown hard to the stone floor of a cell, he had been dragged down many flights of stone stairs and was now in the dungeon beneath the Abbey. The large guards stood outside the door, there was no escaping from the cell like he had done before when he was younger. Kai sat up.  
  
Boris stalked in, his face was shadowed as he stood in the cell's doorway. The only thing Kai could see of his face was the thin red light that shined dimly from Boris' mask.  
  
"Well, if it isn't the little Hiwatari, so good to see you again," Boris' voice was weaved with bitter sarcasm. Kai glared darkly and stood up slowly."What's this, does the boy want to get a beating? Are you ready?"  
  
Kai didn't answer but instead prepared himself for the worst. He took a defensive stance. Boris laughed evily and charged the boy.  
  
Kai ducked the man's large hand as Boris punched at the teen, instead of the punch he was faked out and got kicked in the face. Kai staggered back and wiped his nose as blood trickled down his lip, the iron tasting liquid dripped into his mouth.  
  
"Errr....baka..." Kai swung at the sinister creature standing before him. Boris caught Kai's wrist and crushed the boys hand in a vice grip. Kai gasped in pain and squinted his eyes as his wrist was broken. When the purple haired man released his hand, Kai clutched it protectively to his chest as he hunched over around his hand.  
  
"This is no fun, fight back you fool," Boris jeered and kicked Kai again, but in the chest this time. Kai was thrown back and crashed into the stone wall behind him. His head met the concrete hard, there was a sickening 'crack' as the right side of the front of his head bashed the wall, the focus in his right eye began to fail him.  
  
Kai got back up, swaying. He gained his footing and blocked Boris' assaults as they came furiously. Finally Boris punched Kai in the gut, knocking the air out of him.  
  
Kai looked up as Boris' foot made painful contact with his cheek, his already smeared face paint was messed up more as blood came from the wound caused by his teeth cutting through his cheek when he was kicked. Boris continued, showing less then mercy. Boris hit him hard on his right shoulder, the force he used as enough to break the young half Russian's colarbone.  
  
'Please, just let me die....' Kai asked some unknown force.'Don't make me continue in pain....'  
  
Kai fell again and rolled into a ball as blood stained his body and clothes. His broken hand fell limply against his head as he lay there in pain. Silent tears made their way down his cheeks, stinging his wounds and washing away his blood and paint.  
  
"Stop crying, boy. Emotions are weak!" Boris kicked the fallen boy in the ribs, breaking a few and cracking many others. Kai moaned in pain."I said: Stop!"  
  
Kai sniffed back diamond tears and curled up tighter, ignoring his injuries. Boris pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the side, then left. He growled something inchoherent to the guards and they entered. Roughly grabbing Kai, they dragged the limp body to his room. Kai's silent wishes were granted as best as possible as he lost all consciousness, pain left him altogether.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
It was late when Kai was thrown into the room he shared with Tala. Tala jumped up when he saw Kai's limp body hit the far wall of the small room and fell like a dead person to the hard floor.  
  
"Kai?! Get up!" Tala rushed to the boys side, he knelt on Kai's right. He gently shook Kai.  
  
"Unn....Tala?.......Where are you?......I can hear you but I can't see you...." Kai whimpered as he came around and realised his delemma. Kai hissed in pain as Tala propped him up and turned his brother's head to look at him.  
  
"Can you see me now?" Tala sighed in relief when Kai nodded. He placed a hand over Kai's right eye."Now?"  
  
"I still can see you...." Kai's voice was soft.  
  
"How about now?" Tala asked, placing his hand over Kai's left eye and groaned when Kai shook his head."Let me see your right eye..."  
  
Kai let Tala examine his eye, groaning when Tala turned his sore neck and when he touched his wounded cheek.  
  
"I don't see anything wrong, but I'm no doctor. What all did he do to you?" Tala picked Kai up gently and carried him to the small bathroom and laid him on the floor. Tala looked around for bandages.  
  
"What do you think he did? The same thing he does everytime. But...this time, he pulled a knife on me and stabbed me with it," Kai place his good hand over the bloody wound on his side."He never did that before....it hurt so much more then the normal punishments. And my head hit the wall then I couldn't see out of my right eye...."  
  
"Here, I'll help you clean your wounds," Tala filled a bowl, he found, with soapy water and grabbed a raggy, old washcloth. He helped Kai out of his shirt and winced when he saw Kai's stap wound, he brought the cloth up to it after getting it wet."This'll sting."  
  
Kai shut his eyes tightly as the stinging pain swept over his body. Tala gently washed the blood from his brother's cut then grabbed the white bandages and wrapped Kai's wounds. The blood seeped through the pale cloth that almost matched Kai's skin color.  
  
Tala cleaned off Kai's cheek, and bandaged his cheek.  
  
Kai winced as Tala finished and picked him up, carrying Kai to his bed. He carefully laid Kai down then went to the small dresser that sat against the wall. He chose a pair of cotton shorts and shirt for Kai and turned around.  
  
"Do you want to dress yourself or are you in too much pain?" Tala sat on the edge of Kai's bed. Kai whimpered as he sat up."I guess that's a yes, you want to do it yourself. You're so stubborn sometimes..."  
  
With that, Tala helped Kai stand up so that he could change, Tala turned his back to him. He turned back when he heard Kai lay back down on his bed.  
  
"You okay now?" Tala asked and when Kai nodded, he grabbed his own clothes and went to the bathroom."G' night."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
When Tala came back wearing a tank-top and pants, Kai was sound asleep. The dual hair colored boy was snuggled contently, despite his injuries, in the thin sheet on his bed.  
  
Tala cautiously unlocked the door when someone knocked. Boris stood behind it.  
  
"Yes sir?" Tala stood in the doorway, Boris leaned down to look the ice eyed teen face to face.  
  
"You must have seen Kai's injuries. The tournament is tomorrow, I want him to be dressed in anything that will cover the wounds. If it gets out that this is going on, I'll be ruined and Master Voltaire will have my head. Understood?" Boris grinned sadisticly when the redhead agreed."Good."  
  
Boris turned and left, pleased with himself. Tala relocked the door and turned to Kai. Noticing how innocent his brother looked without his paint on, he looked like the innocent five year old he once was ten years ago.  
  
"And to think it really has been ten years..." Tala whispered getting into his own bed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
Kai woke up the next morning sore and tired. Stifling a yawn, he looked at Tala's empty bed. He sat up carefully.  
  
'Where could he be?' Kai looked up when Tala dropped some stuff on his bed.  
  
"You'll have to wear these, Boris' orders," Tala spat the name.  
  
Kai picked through the clothes. A black turtle neck with sleeves that came down to his finger tips so that they could cover the makeshift cast on his left hand. And a pair of black cargo pants, all of the clothes meant to show no blood or any of his wounds.  
  
"So, I'm going goth? Anything else I need?" Kai asked.  
  
"Well, your scarf still has a few blood stains, I tried to wash it this morning. So you'll have to wear your hair down instead of spike it, it'll help cover the wounds you got on your neck. You'll also need to wear your facepaint to hide the bruises on your cheeks and that wound,  
  
"Get dressed, Boris is gonna have us listen to a few extra lectures before we go. You'll have to find a way to launch your blade with your broken hand. I'll leave you." Tala said and left.  
  
Kai managed to get dressed with all the wounds he had and told Tala that he could come back. Tala returned and saw Kai sitting on his bed, dressed, with his two-toned hair down. It lay limply on his shoulders and a little down his back. Kai's paint was on and he winced because the paint stung his small wound. You couldn't exactly tell that Kai was beaten up, until he stood up and walked with a limp.  
  
"Let's go, Boris will be mad if we don't get there soon," Tala helped Kai walk out the door.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
The Demolition Boys survived yet another series of lectures from Boris about what would happen if they lost, and now they were being driven in a large van to the stadium the tournament was being held at.  
  
Spencer was glaring at Kai the entire ride. Bryan was thinking of something evil to do and Ian was shining his blade. Tala sat near Kai incase he was in need of anything.  
  
The van rolled to a halt and the doors opened. Stepping out they made their way to their locker room, ignoring the reporters who shoved microphones in their faces and asked them question after question. The tournament was about to begin.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
"Welcome, loyal fans. To start off this tournament, we have the White Tigers going up against our reigning champs from their home country or more specificly Moscow, Russia. The Demolition Boys! Starting the battles off with the team captian, Tala Valkov!" the crowd erupted in cheers as Tala walked through the doors ignoring the cheers. AJ Topper went on to explain Tala's stats and such. The White Tigers had gotten their own share of cheers and were now glaring at the Russian blader.  
  
Lee of the White Tigers walked to the blading dish, glaring at the silent redhead. Tala pulled out his gun-like launcher and set up Wolborg. Lee did the same for his own blade.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
Voltaire and Boris sat above the dish away from the crowd.  
  
"My grandson had better obey, and win. If not, your job is riding on this, but Kai's life is also," Voltaire growled.  
  
"Oh don't worry sir, he won't have the strength to fight back. And he'll win for sure with Black Danzer," Boris sneered.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
Kai sat silent in the locker room as Ian left to take his turn at battle once Tala won. Tala stayed in the arena so Kai was stuck with Spencer and Bryan.  
  
Spencer had overheard Tala and Kai talking about his injuries and he had found out about Kai's 'blindspot'. He walked up silently on Kai's right as he sat with his back to them.  
  
"So, the little traitor got a couple boo-boos? What's wrong? Don't want to talk to good, ol' Spencer?" Spencer laughed as Kai tensed as the larger boy placed a large hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Remove your hand from my shoulder or I shall remove your hand from your arm," Kai growled and stood up as Boris walked through the door.  
  
"Kai, you'll be fighting next. You're up against some little girl named Mariah. Don't blow it, your grandfather is watching," Boris led Kai down the hall and out of Spencer's hearing range.  
  
"Stupid little brat, I don't know what's so great about that little traitor," Spencer hissed and Bryan looked up.  
  
"It's because the little worm is the only one who can control Black Dranzer. That's why Boris is so 'caring' about him," Bryan jeered."Without Black Dranzer he's nothing but a little rich boy living with grandpa."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
Mariah watched as Kai walked out with an almost unnoticable limp. His unspiked, shoulder length hair shadowed half of his face.  
  
"He's going to have some explaining to do to his ex-teammates!" Brad Best said.  
  
"That's where he has been! That traitor!" Tyson jumped from his seat in the stands.  
  
'Somethings wrong with him...' Mariah had thoughts going through her mind a mile a minute. Kai pulled out his launcher and set up his black blade.'What's he using? That isn't Dranzer...at least not the last time I saw it.'  
  
"Well, let's get this show on the road! 3...2...1..Let It Rip!" DJ Jazzman said from his place on his platform above the blading dish.  
  
Mariah and Kai pulled the rip cords and their blades launched. Kai's broken hand throbbed as he released Black Dranzer from the launcher. Pulling his shirt sleeve back over his hand before Mariah saw the thin cast, he watched Black Dranzer spin circles around Mariah's pink blade as it tried to attack the dark blade.  
  
"Black Dranzer, finish this," Kai looked up. Mariah saw a flash of pain in the stoic boys eyes.  
  
'Something is really wrong with him,' Mariah's train of thought was destroyed when her blade came to a halt at he feet. She bent down to pick it up.'I lost....no...'  
  
"Pathetic," Kai caught Black Dranzer with his good hand and turned around. He followed Tala and Ian to the locker room.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
Mariah walked out with her team in shame, they had lost.  
  
"Lee, I'm sorry that I lost...I should've done better," Mariah sounded guilty.  
  
"It's not your fault, that dark blade that Kai has is powerful. You did fine," Lee's voice was quiet.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
"Tala, you, Bryan, and Spencer will take the next battles. Kai you can take a break, we don't want you hurting yourself," Boris jeered. Kai stood up.  
  
"I don't need a break, I'll fight them myself," Kai walked out the door holding his dark blade.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
"Get ready for the next round of this tournament, this time it will be the Demolition boys against the AllStarz," AJ Topper said. Kai and Michael walked up to the dish.  
  
"Well... if it isn't the traitor? Well, it doesn't matter whose side you're on, you're going down!" Michael sneered, Kai was silent."Hmph, oh I get it, you're one of those strong silent types!"  
  
"How about I take on your whole team?" Kai finally spoke.  
  
"What!?" Michael was shocked  
  
"Well, we've never had this happen before!" Jazzman was just as surprised.  
  
"Why don't you just stay out of this?" Kai glared. Jazzman gulped then got approval from Boris who was up with Voltaire again. The AllStarz stepped up to the dish, all glaring at Kai.  
  
"3..2..1, Let It Rip!" the bladers all launched their blades. Kai and Steve immediately went at it, Steve's blade was knocked out and stopped rolling at it's masters feet.  
  
"That's one down and three to go, my friends," Kai smirked. The blades of Eddy and Emily were soon out too. Kai looked to Michael."Just you and me, but I'll take care of that."  
  
Trygle was soon out also, and the AllStarz stared in shock.  
  
"Well I don't see anymore beyblades...guess that makes me the winner," Kai laughed.  
  
Kai brought his blade up infront of his face, it began to glow.  
  
"Cowards do not deserve to have bitbeasts....it is my right to take them away!" Kai seemed possessed by Black Dranzer."...I shall be the guardian of their power. Gaze upon the most powerful blade in the world!"  
  
Black Dranzer drained the bitbeasts Trygle, Trypio, Tryhorn, and Trygator from their blades, leaving the teams and crowd in shock. Kai turned and walked out, glaring up at Boris through his blue hair. Boris smirked. When Kai left, he staggered down the hall in pain. When he was almost at the locker room, he stopped.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
Mariah had strayed from her friends after watching the battle between Kai and the AllStarz. She wandered through the halls of the large stadium, letting her feet take her where ever they wanted to go. She stopped at the end of a hall and peered around the corner when she heard a groan of pain.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
Kai leaned against the wall just a little ways down the hall from his current team's locker room. He cringed in pain as his wounded left shoulder met the wall. He placed his head against it also, unaware that Mariah was watching him from around the corner, his back was facing her.  
  
Kai groaned again and let himself slide to the floor. A bloody streak was smeared down the wall. He moaned as he rested his head against his trembling knees as he brought them to his wounded chest.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
Mariah stared in shock at the crimson liquid staining the cream colored wall. She listened as Kai growled when Spencer blindsided him as he walked down the hall on Kai's right side. An evil look on his Russian face. She leaned against the wall, still watching, and listened.  
  
"Well, well. If it isn't the little blind boy. What's the matter? Do you hate us already?" Spencer glared as Kai hissed something back in Russian. Spencer grabbed Kai roughly by the chin and forced the already injured boy to look at him."What was that, you blue haired freak?"  
  
"I said: 'Go back to Boris, you loyal dog.' Now buzz off, or do you wanna fight me? I could beat you with that Black Dranzer in no time flat," Kai shook Spencer's hand away. This angered Spencer and he kicked Kai hard in the ribs, Kai gasped in pain as he heard a rib crack and one break. Kai whimpered as his one wound opened up again.  
  
Mariah watched as Kai hunched further to the floor, blood covered his hand as he held onto the reopened stab wound on his side.  
  
"Spencer! Get away from Kai, Boris wants to talk to you!" Tala came down the hall and kneeled next to Kai as Spencer sneered and walked away."Kai, 'you okay?"  
  
"Oh yeah, I just have a few broken ribs, a few freshly cracked ones, I'm half blind. I have a broken collarbone. That stab wound is now open thanks to Spencer the stiff necked rock head. My face will have more bruises, and I'm covered in bruises and blood everywhere that's able to be hidden!" Mariah felt a new pity for the tortured boy.  
  
"I don't want to keep going, brother. Boris will flip if I don't win every battle, and I'll get another beating. My grandfather's a pysco, and I have to fight my old team and steal their bitbeasts. Tala I can't take it anymore!" Kai continued, keeping the tears he held so long from falling.  
  
"Hiwatari, get in here! You too, Valkov!" Boris yelled for the two boys.  
  
"Come on, we'll both get another beating if we aren't there," Tala helped Kai stand then draped his brother's arm across his shoulder. He walked him back to their locker room. Leaving the bloody stain behind.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
"Lee!" Mariah burst into the locker room that her team was occupying. She ran over to her captain."Lee, there's something very wrong with Kai!"  
  
"Heck yeah! He betrayed his team and now he's stealing bitbeasts and doesn't care if he hurts others!" Lee barked as his pupil constricted.  
  
"No, there's something very-" Lee cut Mariah off.  
  
"Just drop it Mariah! I don't care what's wrong with Kai! He can go jump of a cliff for all I care!" Mariah's own pupils constricted at her captain's words.  
  
"Fine! Forget it, Lee! But there's something very wrong and I'm gonna help him!" Mariah growled. Lee was about to yell another stream of words but she cut him off.  
  
"Yes! I know he made a mistake by going to the Demolition Boys, he's only human! You make plenty of mistakes! And you saw how powerful that Black Dranzer is, if you had the chance for power like that I'm sure you'd jump for it without a second thought! So you can either help me or let me go handle it myself!"  
  
Mariah lectured. When Lee was speechless, Mariah turned and left, growling in Chinese.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
"I'm very proud of you boys," Boris' voice leaked sarcasm."You won two rounds and got me the bitbeasts. I'm expecially proud of you, Kai. You obeyed without a fight, your grandfather is also proud."  
  
"Who cares what my 'grandfather' thinks, I certainly don't. I need to get out of here, I should be back," Kai stood up and walked out. Spencer got up to bring him back but was stopped by Boris.  
  
"He'll be back, don't worry," Boris smirked."I have Black Dranzer, and he wants it."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
Kai wandered through the halls of the stadium, ignoring the looks he got from anyone who saw him. The few people who walked in groups whispered to each other when he walked past.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
"Emily, you gotta believe me. Something is wrong with Kai," Mariah walked with her crying friend.  
  
"Why should I help? He stole my bitbeast!" Emily said through sobs.  
  
"Come on! I think he's being forced," Mariah dragged Emily through various halls until they reached the hall that she saw Kai and Spencer in. The blood was still there but dried."That is Kai's blood. I saw Spencer kick him too. And when I fought him he seemed to be in pain."  
  
"But why should I help him, out of all people, why him," Emily turned away from the bloody wall.  
  
"Because he may be in danger, you know that if he keeps bleeding like that he'll bleed to death. Plus I'm not all to fond of death, and blood. And he's just a kid who makes mistakes," Mariah looked pleading at Emily."And we may get him to give us our bitbeasts back and have him rejoin the BladeBreakers."  
  
"Fine, I'll get Judy to help. If we can get him to let us help, she can patch up his wounds that you say he has," Emily walked down the hall with Mariah who thanked her the whole way.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
Tala stood around the one corner smiling to himself, he had heard what the girls were planning on doing.  
  
'Good, Kai will get expert help,' Tala thoughts were disturbed when Boris called for him.'Oh great.'  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
"Judy, please?" Mariah stuck out her bottom lip, blinked her eyes, and clasped her hands together. She was begging the older woman."Please?"  
  
"Give me a good reason why," Judy raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Because he's bleeding alot, and is in pain. And he's a friend of Max's, and we wanna get him to go back to the BladeBreakers. If you don't help I'll take Max hostage and force you to help Kai. Now pick," Mariah pleaded."Oh and because you're a doctor and it's your job, isn't it?"  
  
"Fine, but only because he was a friend of Maxie's and you want to get him back to his old team," Judy finally agreed."But I won't like helping him."  
  
"Good, come on," Mariah led them out the door of the girls locker room.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
Emily peeked around a corner and saw Kai slowly limping down the hall away from her. She waved Mariah and Judy over.  
  
"So, what do we do? I'm sure that he won't come willingly," Emily stated.  
  
"We drug him of course," Judy pulled out a syringe and tested it."Then we take him back to our locker room."  
  
Mariah snuck up behind Kai and grabbed him, spinning him around she pinned him to the wall. He squirmed as she held him by his sore shoulders, he winced and tried to get away. She felt his right collarbone give and recoiled. Instead she placed her hand against the wall up under his armpit.  
  
"Let go!" Kai tried to push her off with his hands, but Emily walked over and grabbed his left hand. His pupils shrank and he cried out in pain as she grabbed his broken wrist. It hurt too much to keep on his stone-like mask.  
  
Emily pulled back his sleeve to see the thin, bloody cast around his wrist and hand. She felt around his wrist and hand, causing Kai to wince and whimper.  
  
Judy walked up, a look of pity on her face as she saw Kai's hand. She grabbed his arm and readied the syringe. Kai looked at the sharp point of the needle in terror.  
  
"Please don't do it. I don't like needles." Kai whimpered, his eyes wide in panic.  
  
Judy wanted to give in, but she didn't have any other options. She stuck him with the needle, and injected the drug as quickly and painlessly as possible.  
  
Kai whimpered as he started to go numb. It took about ten minutes to fully take effect, and then he fell forward and into Mariah, who caught him. He was as limp as overcooked spaghetti.  
  
"Come on, let's go before one of his teammates finds us kidnapping him," Judy picked Kai up out of Mariah's arms, realizing how light he was for his muscle mass and height. His eyes were still open. Dialated and sightless, they gave Judy a deathlike stare. She shivered. In a short while it just might be the stare of death.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
"Unnn....Tala?" Kai's good eye was unfocused as he woke up. A reddish-pink blob was leaning over him.  
  
"No, it's Mariah," Kai's seeing eye focused and he saw the cat girl above him.  
  
"Oh....where am I? What happened?" Kai tried to sit up, but lay back down when Mariah pushed him back down.  
  
"You're in the girls locker room, we kinda kidnapped you," Mariah chuckled nervously.  
  
"Who's 'we'?" Kai glared.  
  
"Me, Emily, and Judy," Mariah jumped back when Kai bolted up.  
  
"How long have I been out?" Kai was pushed back down by Judy.  
  
"About six hours, give or take twenty minutes." Judy said, checking her patient's pulse.  
  
"Let me go, Boris'll kill me!" Kai exclaimed, trying desparately to get up and get away.  
  
"Not when you're in that condition. Speaking of that, where did those wounds come from?" Emily spoke up and walked over. Kai sank back into the blanket that he was lying on.  
  
"I-I can't tell you," Kai's voice was almost inaudible. He turned his face away from the women. Mariah poked him in the ribs. Kai cried in pain and wrapped his good arm around his chest.  
  
"Kai, it's hurting you whatever this secret of yours is. Please, we want to help," Judy placed her hand on Kai's knee.  
  
"If I tell, we'll all be in danger," Kai whispered. Judy agreed and the girls left him alone.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
"Where Is He?!" Voltaire fumed when Boris told him that Kai hadn't returned."He's been gone for hours!"  
  
"I'll send Spencer or one of the others to find him, we'll get him back Master Hiwatari. He'll be punished for being gone for so long," Boris bowed and left the older man to his business.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
'The little brat is in for it this time!' Spencer had been looking for Kai since Boris gave them the news of the missing boy.'Maybe, just maybe, I might con Boris into letting _me_ give the worm a beating....'  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
"He said something about Tala when he woke up," Emily and the other two were standing in the one room of the ladies locker room.  
  
"Who's he again?" Mariah asked, scratching her head.  
  
"The Demolition Boys captian," Judy said carelessly.'I still don't want to help Kai, he might just let us help him and then go and hurt me, my team, or my Maxie....'  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
Kai had been gone for hours and Tala was worried, Boris was furious, and Kai's life could be riding on his little dissapearance. Tala ran through the many halls until he was at the girl's locker room. He flung the door open and there was Mariah, Emily, and Judy, all sitting in a circle.  
  
"You gotta hide him!" Tala's face was flushed from running.  
  
"Hide who?" Emily asked, acting as if she knew not of what he spoke of.  
  
"Kai of course! Boris is looking all over and he'll go crazy if he finds you hiding Kai," Tala then looked at the floor guiltily, shutting the door."I heard your plans and watched you bring him here."  
  
"You told Boris, didn't you?!" Mariah accused, jumping to her feet.  
  
"Why would I tell about this to the man who-" Tala stopped himself before he told too much.  
  
" 'The man who' what?" Judy walked over, pushed Tala aside, and locked the door.  
  
"I can't tell," Tala urged.  
  
"Kai said the same thing," Judy led the red head to the back of the locker room where Kai was sleeping. The dual hair colored boy was wrapped in a sheet and curled up on a few blankets that acted like a mattress. His back was to Tala.  
  
Tala cautiously walked over to his brother and kneeled next to him.  
  
"What did you do to him?" Tala watched as Kai rolled over and was now facing the red headed Russian.  
  
"I cleaned and bandaged his wounds. I also splinted his broken hand, the cloth on his hand wasn't enough to keep the bones in his hand together so that they could heal properly. I stitched up a deep wound on his side-" Judy was cut off.  
  
"It was a stab wound, and I did the best I could with the supplies I had to fix up his hand," Tala brushed a stray lock of hair from his brother's face.  
  
"How'd he get those wounds, Tala? Tell me, if you tell me I might be able to get him help and lock up the person who did this," Judy's voice was sincere as she sat down next to him.  
  
"If I tell, I risk Kai's life," Tala's ice blue eyes flashed for a split- second with what seemed to be sadness."I'm not willing to be the cause of my brother's death. I could never live with that kind of guilt hanging over me, clouding my conscious mind every waking minute until the day I die."  
  
"Your words touch me, brother," Kai's crimson orbs fluttered open as he spoke."Please, just tell them. I-I would, but I'm way to tired..."  
  
"Always finding ways out of things you don't wanna talk about, you're still the same," Tala jested.  
  
"If you want, I'll leave you to think. You can tell me when you're ready," Judy stood up and walked to the door that seperated the different sections of the locker room. She opened the door and Mariah fell forward, Emily stood behind Mariah, laughing nervously.  
  
"Hi...." Emily grinned cheesily and backed off when Judy gave her a cold glare.  
  
"It's not nice to eavesdrop, young lady. Do I need to ground you? I do know how to deal with children, I have one," Judy peeled Mariah off the floor and gave her a stern look."Go sit in seperate corners, you two. You'll be released when I see that the punishment was fulfilled."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
"Tell them," Kai pushed."I don't want to."  
  
"I don't want to either. It might get us killed," Tala and Kai sat face to face.  
  
Kai sat there in only a pair of clean shorts that Judy had given him, the shorts had belonged to her husband, why she had them? No one knew. Kai looked like he had been ran over by a freight train going ninety-nine miles an hour, he had bandages everywhere on his chest, arms, and legs. Kai's face had bruises all over and he didn't have his paint on.  
  
"How 'bout we both tell her? I won't do it alone!" Kai crossed his arms, turned his head to the side a bit, and gave Tala a chilling look. The look was scary enough to kill the dead. Tala was freaked out.  
  
"Fine, fine. You win, we both tell. But then run like hell itself is trying to swallow us whole, because Boris will be mad!" Kai laughed at Tala's way of putting it.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
"So, you'll tell me?" Judy had been called back in and was sitting in a chair as the boys sat on the floor.  
  
Mariah and Emily's punishment was over and they were lounging around in the same room. Mariah was lying on her stomach with her hands propping up her chin and her legs kicking back and forth. Emily sat next to her coach on a hard back chair.  
  
"Do they have to be here?" Kai groaned.  
  
"You can tell them or I will, and I might decide to twist your stories," Judy smiled.  
  
Tala grumbled in Russian and earned a slap to the head from Kai.  
  
"Where do we start?" Kai asked.  
  
"How about the beginning?" Mariah sang.  
  
"Fine, it all started when we were both five, and me and Tala were best friends, brothers practically. My grandfather and his lackey had killed my parents and Tala's and forced us to join this bogus abbey......"  
  
~*Flashback(ten years earlier)*~  
  
A black limo drove up to an old abbey in Moscow, Russia. Two five year old boys sat in the very back seat with a tall man. Another man sat across from the boys, Voltaire Hiwatari.  
  
Kai innocently looked up at the brawny man that sat between him and Tala. The man looked back down at Kai with cold, steel colored eyes. Kai quickly returned his gaze to his hands that lay in his lap. He looked at Tala with big eyes.  
  
"Hey Tal-" Kai was cut off by the man.  
  
"Quiet boy," he spat. Kai looked back down, Tala did also.  
  
The limo rolled to a halt and the boys were pulled out by the large man. Voltaire followed closely. The group walked up to the abbey's door.  
  
A tall purple haired man greeted them.  
  
"Ahh, Master Voltaire. So good to see you again," Boris smirked down at Kai. Kai loathed the man, he had killed his mother and now was acting as if it never happened."And little Kai, we meet again."  
  
Kai glared ice daggers at the man and crossed his arms.  
  
"Onibaba," Kai growled, Voltaire hit Kai hard on the cheek, sending the child falling onto his rear. Kai rubbed his cheek as it turned an angry red. Tala helped him up.  
  
"Sergie, please lead these two to their sleeping quarters," Boris adressed the large man.  
  
Sergie grabbed Kai's shoulder and Tala's arm and he led them forcefully into the dark abbey. Voltaire followed with Boris next to him.  
  
~*End Flashback*~  
  
"So, this all has something to do with Boris and Voltaire. I knew that there was something evil about them!"Mariah screeched.  
  
"Do you want to keep going?"Judy watched as Kai shifted in his seat uncomfortably.  
  
"Yeah, might as well get it all out since we started," Kai looked at Tala."Your turn, my brother."  
  
"Alright, fine. Well, that was when we met the evil Spencer. He was always getting others in trouble, he took a major liking to getting Kai in trouble...."  
  
~*FlashBack*~  
  
"Kai Hiwatari! Step Forward, Now!" they had been in the abbey for two week and Kai had been in trouble more times then he could count. And he didn't even do anything. All the abbey boys were lined up in a straight row and Boris stood infront of them. Kai stepped forward with less than confidence. Tala's brow furrowed with worry as he stood in line.  
  
Kai looked at his feet, not knowing what he was being accused of now. Spencer stood behind Boris, he had a smirk plastered on his young face, his droopy blond bangs drooped infront of his cold eyes a little. Spencer had a few bruises on his cheeks.  
  
"Did you beat up this poor boy?!" Boris circled Kai and pointed at Spencer, who took on look of pain as he hunched over before Boris noticed his faking.  
  
"No I di-" Kai was cut off as a whip, that Boris carried around to disipline the boys who got out of line, cracked against the floor near Kai's feet loudly. Kai jumped, eyes wide.  
  
"Well, Spencer says otherwise. He tells me that you snuck into his room last night and that you were mad that he got his blade upgraded yesterday. He says that you beat him until he was unconscious," Boris stated harshly. He turned his back to Spencer, Spencer lost the act and smirked wickedly.  
  
"Ummm Mas-" Boris turned to Tala.  
  
"Silence, Valkov. I gave you no permission to speak!" Tala quickly straightened up and held his tongue, looking at Kai. While Boris had his attention to Tala, Kai shook his head at his brother. He didn't want them both in trouble.  
  
"Now, Hiwatari. Where were we? Oh yes, your punishment for attacking a fellow student will be no food for three days and confinement to the dungeon downstairs. You will also have extra training and you'll have the 'special' treatment. Understood?!" Kai nodded in defeat, it wasn't worth anything, trying to tell Boris that you did nothing wrong was like telling a wall to do a fifty mile run.  
  
"Yes, sir," Kai glared at Spencer, who was taking his place in line. Kai sank back into his place beside Tala, his face downcast.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
The training went as it should for Tala and the other boys, but Kai had to do twice as many drills. By the time training was done, Kai was sprawled out on his back on the cold, stone floor, he was sweating and breathing heavily. Boris walked over and kicked him in the side, Kai quickly jumped up and stood at attention.  
  
"Come along, your first session of punishment starts now," Boris had a guard drag Kai down to the lower levels of the abbey.  
  
Kai's head hit a few steps on the way down and his foot caught in the crack of a worn step. The guard just continued to pull him along like a ragdoll, Kai's foot was twisted and pulled roughly from the cold stone.  
  
~*End of Flashback*~  
  
Kai clamped his hand over Tala's mouth as he went on.  
  
"Do we gotta tell them?!" Kai whispered to his brother as the girls just watched, not catching what he said."It might be to bloody-gory for them! And I don't want them to know....please don't tell! Please, please, please!"  
  
"Kai, we should finish what we begin! Do you wanna finish this story or do you want me to?!" Tala's outburst caused Kai to straighten his posture and shut up, he clamped his hand over his own mouth."Do you women think you can handle...oh how do you say...the beating of an innocent five year old?"  
  
"What?! Kai! They beat you?!" Judy was horrified, Kai sank back and nodded his head.  
  
"And Tala, and all the other boys," the truth was finally out.  
  
"And you didn't tell anyone!?" Judy stood up, angry that anyone would be so heartless as to hurt innocent children."We could have helped you when it all began!"  
  
"Yeah! Helped us get murdered! They would've killed us, and anyone who was told! They won't take the risks of this getting out to the public! The only way to get out of the abbey once you were there to see what we went through was if you found a way to run away and not get caught, or you would have to of had your mind wiped and then _all_ of your memory would be gone! I know! I got out of the abbey after I first used Black Dranzer and there was huge blast, half the abbey was destroyed, alot of the boys were killed in the explosion and I lost my memory! My grandfather had to train me the normal way and he was far from happy! I just got back my memories when I went back to that abbey!  
  
"If they find out that we told you three, they'll have you killed, and Tala and I will have to endure beating after beating until Boris is happy!" by the time Kai finished, he was crying with his hand propping up his head.  
  
"Kai, Tala. We're sorry that this happened to you....we want to help. If we can't help you get them in jail, at least let us help you with your current wounds, that I'll guess Boris gave you," Judy sat back down, regaining a calm composure. Kai nodded his head.  
  
"Yeah, it was punishment for not obeying my grandfathers every command...." Kai sighed, looking Judy in the eyes."Let us go back, or at least me. Boris will be mad enough if I go back. If I wait any longer, he might decide to kill me once this tournament is over and when my grandfather has no more use for me."  
  
"Kai! Who Knows What He'll Do To You If You Go Back! You Are In Real Danger!" Mariah's pupils constricted.  
  
"Why do you care? After all that Tala and I put you and your teams through, why do you want to help us?" Kai questioned, his voice soft.  
  
"Because," Mariah began, she sighed then continued."You're a fellow blader and human, both of you. It's not right for anyone, no matter what they did, to have to endure such torture. It's even worse because you've been dealing with this since you were little. Now we know why you are so anti-social, and cold towards people, you've been hurt by them and you don't want it to happen again."  
  
"I'm going back, I'll tell them that I ran into a bit of trouble and take my punishment, you aren't going to stop me. If they find me here with you three, Boris will kill you all," Kai slowly stood up."Where is my old clothes? I need them back."  
  
"Kai, I don't like this. You'll get hurt again, but seeing that I can't stop you, I'll let you go. But, please, come back so we can help with your wounds. If you stay with them, I'm sure that Boris won't care about your injuries," Judy walked over to a locker and opened it, pulling out Kai's black attire.  
  
"I washed them, you might not be able to tell by looking, but they won't have crusted blood all over," Judy handed Kai his clothes."Okay girls, out!"  
  
Mariah and Emily darted out the door, followed by Judy. Tala looked his brother in the eye.  
  
"Shall I come, or do you want me to stay here and tell Judy more?" Tala asked before Kai got changed.  
  
"Stay, I won't risk you getting hurt," Kai smiled saddly.  
  
"Good luck brother, be careful and come back alive," Tala walked out the door and shut it after him.  
  
'Don't worry Tala, I'll come back in one piece.' Kai sighed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
"Kai Hiwatari! Where were you?!" Boris yelled as the blue hair boy limped into the locker room.  
  
"I ran into a bit of trouble, sir," Kai snapped back.  
  
"Who were you with, brat?!" Boris stormed up to Kai as he shut the door.  
  
"Myself, who else. You know I hate people," Kai limped over to the bench and sat down. Boris stomped over and leaned down to look Kai in the eye.  
  
"What kind of trouble?" Boris growled.  
  
"And you care...why?" Kai glared up as the creature straightened up.  
  
"You must have forgotten who is the master. Well, I'll have to fix that," Boris looked over at Spencer who sat across the room from them."Hold him."  
  
"Certainly, Master Boris," Spencer got up and walked over slowly.  
  
Spencer got around and held Kai from behind, being sure to put pressure on his broken limbs. Kai bite back a gasp in pain. Boris cracked his knuckles as he laughed, stepping forward. He pulled his hand back and aimed for Kai's face.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
"Tala, should you really be doing this?" Mariah asked as she followed the red head as he slinked through the halls to his locker room.  
  
"Shut up," Tala hissed through clenched teeth. He lifted his head and listened."Do you hear that?"  
  
"Hear wha-" a muffled cry came from the door down the hall. Mariah's pupils became sharp slits.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
Kai was limp in Spencer's arms as another blow came in contact to his stomach, he was still conscious and gasped.  
  
"Had enough yet? Or do you want to keep going?" Boris asked, when Kai whispered his disagreement to continue, Boris leaned down closer."What? I didn't catch that."  
  
Boris' jeering gained a ice glare from Kai, but the glare earned a painful hit to his face.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
'That's terrible,' Mariah thought as she peeked through the door, watching the scene of Kai getting a beating. Tears formed in her amber eyes as Boris hit Kai again, Kai cried out.'How could they? He's only a boy!'  
  
"Hey Valkov," Bryan stood behind Tala, Bryan had the red head in a tight head lock. A short, big nosed boy walked up to Mariah and swung his foot out to trip her. She jumped and landed as Bryan pushed Tala into the locker room, the lavender haired fiend grabbed and pushed the pink haired girl in after.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
"Well, what's this? We have a visitor," Boris stood up and motioned for Spencer to drop Kai. Kai fell limp to the floor and Spencer's boot connected with his bruised stomach. Kai whimpered.  
  
Boris walked over to Mariah and Ian. Ian had his foot on Mariah's back as she lay on her belly on the ground. Boris knelt down and grabbed Mariah's chin and tilted her head up.  
  
"It's only the girl from the Fluffy Kittens or something like that. Mariah is your name, isn't it?" Boris jeered.  
  
"Yes, my name is Mariah and it's not the 'Fluffy Kittens' it's the White Tigers!" Mariah shook Boris' hand off and bucked Ian off her back. Standing up, she cast a glance at Kai who lay limp at Spencer's feet as he teased him in Russian."Why....?"  
  
" 'Why' what, girl?" Boris stood before her, Tala was in another one of Bryan's head locks.  
  
"Why do you hurt innocent boys? It's not right...." Mariah felt tears spring to her amber eyes as Kai got kicked again.  
  
"Alot of things aren't 'right', dear. But the reason for the 'hurting' of these boys, it isn't exactly hurting them, it's training them to be emotionless, perfect soldiers. Emotions are a weakness and weaknesses must be destroyed, eliminated. So you see, it's helping them, but it may be to much for a weak, silly, little girl to understand."  
  
"You're sick, do you know that? You torture young boys and twist their thoughts so that they believe that crap. 'Emotionless, perfect soldiers, blah blah blah.' Your mind must be made out of gears and metal for you to be so cold and heartless!" Mariah turned the water works on.  
  
"But these boys do show emotions! Anger, hate, and fear! They're afraid of you! They hate people, and I wouldn't be surprised if they hate life and _you_! And they're angry at everything and you!!" Mariah screamed.  
  
"That proves you know nothing about these boys, I've known them since they were little. They'd never hate me, I made them into perfect bladers," Boris commented.  
  
"And what you said proves that you know even less! I know that these boys hate! I can see it when I look at them! Are you that blind that you can't see it!!" Mariah was mad.  
  
"Spencer, forget Kai he's going nowhere. Grab the girl, she could cause trouble," Boris ordered. Spencer gave Kai one last kick and then stepped up behind Mariah. The blond grabbed her around her torso, pinning her arms to her sides. Mariah squirmed in the taller boys hold, she kicked him in the shins and knees trying to knock him over.  
  
Mariah bared her fangs and her pupils narrowed.  
  
"Don't bother fighting girl. Spencer is one of the strongest in my abbey compared to Tala and Kai," Boris nodded his head in Kai's and Tala's directions.  
  
Tala was getting a beating from the lavender haired boy, but the red head fought back. Kai lay limp in a corner, his breathing was shallow, hissing in pain every few minutes as his broken ribs dug into his lungs. Blood dribbled from his mouth as he coughed.  
  
'He must have a punctured lung...poor guy.' Mariah stopped squirming when Boris walked over to Kai.  
  
'Now what....?' Kai looked up with tired eyes at the purple haired fiend as he knelt next to him.  
  
"So, Kai. What do you think I should do with your little girlfriend?" Boris' voice was smeared with sarcasm.  
  
"Leave...her alone...." Kai's voice was pained."And she's not my...girlfriend..."  
  
"Why, give me a good reason why I shouldn't do anything," Boris asked.  
  
"Just....leave her be.....onibaba...." Kai flinched when Boris slapped him in the face.  
  
"Respect, boy. You're part Japanese, I could've sworn that I read somewhere that the Japanese are big on respecting their elders."  
  
"Ahhh....yes, but....I'm only _part_ Japanese, I'm also part Russian. And you're......Russian also, so....I won't treat you like I would a Japanese elder....." Kai smirked, earning another smack."And I also thought that only little girls slapped....."  
  
Just as Boris was about to attack Kai, Voltaire stalked into the room.  
  
"Boris, what is the meaning of this?! You're airing all of this on the loud speakers, telling what you do to them! I told you to keep quiet!" Voltaire glared at the purple haired lackey.  
  
"What do you mean?!" Boris left Kai alone and walked over to his master."I'm not airing anything! And this room is sound proof!"  
  
"Ohh....airing, you mean _everyone_ here can hear what you're saying?" Mariah put on an innocent face.  
  
"What did you do, girl?!" Boris was furious.  
  
"Who? Me? I did _absolutely_ nothing....nope, nothing at all," Mariah and Tala shared a split second glance. Tala had the upper hand in his fight with Bryan and now Bryan was face down on the floor as Tala sat on his back with his hands behind him."Oh wait, that. Oh yeah, now I remember that little thing we did. What did we do again Tala?"  
  
"Oh that, no I don't think they wanna know, Mariah. Let's just keep it between you and me," Tala smirked.  
  
"What did you do?!" Boris yelled, pulling a handgun from his pocket and aiming at Mariah.  
  
"You might not want to do that...you could kill Spencer and you don't want to kill one of the strongest in the abbey compared to Kai and Tala, now do you?" Mariah smiled innocently.  
  
"I don't care if I kill every one of these boys as long as you're dead!" Boris said the wrong thing.  
  
"What!?" Spencer, Ian, and Bryan all yelled in unison. Spencer dropped Mariah and grabbed the older man. Tala released Bryan and the lavender haired boy jumped up in fury.  
  
"Is that so, you're willing to kill us to get rid of the brat, huh!?" Spencer cursed Boris out in Russian, Bryan and Ian joined him.  
  
Mariah looked at Tala as he picked up Kai, they both had on shocked looks.  
  
"Do I want to know?" Mariah whispered as she got closer to the two. Kai and Tala shook their heads 'no'."It's that bad?"  
  
Kai and Tala nodded. Boris looked at the three and raised his gun again, yelling at them. He fired twice, and Tala dodged with Kai in his arms. Kai cried out as he was shot in the leg and Tala was shot in the shoulder.  
  
All of a sudden, the door was broken down and two police officers stuck their guns in and entered.  
  
"Boris Balkov, Voltaire Hiwatari. You are under arrest for the abuse of children and for illegal experimentation," the taller officer had a thick Russian accent."Place down your weapons and raise your hands above your head."  
  
Boris quickly dropped his gun and raised his hands when a gun was aimed at him.  
  
"I have no idea of what you speak of officer. I have done nothing of the sort," Voltaire's hands were raised and he tried to protest to the accusations. The shorter officer cuffed the men.  
  
"You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can, and will be used against you," the taller man looked out the door to a person who stood shadowed by the light coming from behind."What about the boys ma'am?"  
  
"The red headed boy, pink haired girl, and blue haired boy are all innocent. The other three helped those men in beating the two boys," the voice was familiar. Judy stepped into the room.  
  
"What did you do girl?!" Boris was still seething with anger for Mariah."How did they know?!"  
  
"Simple," Mariah pushed her pink hair behind her ears to reveal a small earring in both of her ears."Emily rigged the earrings to act as a microphone and she hooked her end, the receiver, to the arena's speaker system. And we let you catch me and Tala so that we could get you to spill the beans. Pretty cool, huh? And also, the other three boys know that you don't care."  
  
"Unnnn...." Kai's eyes rolled to the back of his head and he went limp as a sheet in Tala's arms, blood still dripped from his blood crusted lips.  
  
"Heh, I doubt that he'll last much longer. He's lost alot of blood over the past few hours," Boris chuckled as he was dragged out of the room."Even though I'm going to jail, at least I'll know that he's one less that I'll have to kill."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
Emily sat next to Kai, who lay on a bed, she sang to herself as she kept an eye on the unconscious boy.  
  
"Today I watched in silence, As people passed me by, And I strained to see if there was somethin', Hidden in their eye,  
  
But they all looked back at me as if to say, Life just goes on,  
  
The old familiar story, Told in different ways, Make the most of your own journey from the cradle to the grave,  
  
Dream your dreams tomorrow because today, Life just goes on,  
  
But there's more, To this life, Than livin' and dyin', More than just tryin', To make it through the day,  
  
More to this life, More than these eyes alone can see, And there's more, Than this life alone, Can be,"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
Kai could hear a far off voice as he drifted in a dark, cold, void. The voice was quiet and feminine.  
  
"Tonight he lies in silence, Staring into space, As he looks for ways to make tomorrow, Better than today,  
  
But in the morning light, He seems to say: 'Hey life, it just goes on', and on and on and on,  
  
And there's more, To this life, Than livin' and dyin', More than just tryin', To make it through the day,  
  
More to this life, More than these eyes alone can see, And there's more, Than this life alone, Can be,"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
Emily watched as Kai sighed and his eyes fluttered open, they looked right at her full of question.  
  
"Who's that by?" Kai's voice was almost inaudible.  
  
"It's by a singer named Steven Curtis Chapman, he's a Christian. His music brought me to find Jesus Christ, " Emily smiled."Do you like it? Or do you want me to not sing anymore?"  
  
"Who's 'Jesus Christ'?" Kai whispered.  
  
"He's my God, my Lord and Savior. And I love Him and He loves me. He's protected me from temptations and evil," Emily answered looking at Kai with azure eyes."Do you have a religion?"  
  
"No. But in Japan, people have tried to turn me to the Shinto religion and Buddism," Kai laughed quietly."I didn't want to be either of them, what they worshipped sounded so stupid. Is your God real, I know Budda isn't."  
  
"My God is real, Him and I talk to eachother," Emily stated and pulled a big, black book from her backpack that sat on the floor."This is the Bible, I read it and I pray to Jesus. I've been a Christian for eleven years and I'm fifteen now so....I was a Christian since I was four years old."  
  
"That's a long time, how did you become a Christian?" Kai asked looking over the book."What does Jesus do for you?"  
  
"I became a Christian by asking God to come into my heart. I also memorized a verse from my Bible. John 3:16. 'For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.'" Emily said not having to think to remember the verse.  
  
"Jesus protects me from sin and evil. He died on the cross to and took our sins with him so that we wouldn't have to sacrifice animals to be cleansed of evil and so that we could be free of sin. He helps me when I ask Him. I'm sure that if you asked Him, Kai, and become a Christian, that alot of your troubles will be taken care of."  
  
"How do you pray?" Kai asked."I want to be a Christian, I want God to help me."  
  
"You can start like this:" Emily put her hands together and bowed her head, Kai did the same as he lay on the soft bed. He repeated her when she stopped to let him.  
  
" 'Dear God, help me for I am a sinner. I am not worthy of all that you do, but I ask that you help me. Come into my heart, cleanse me of my sins, throw them away. Forgive me and forget the evil I have done. You are the Lord of all, the King of Kings, the Alpha and Omega, possible of anything and all. In the name of your Son, amen.'  
  
Or you can say The Daily Bread:'Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed by Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us of our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.' "  
  
"Amen," Kai repeated and opened his eyes to look at Emily."I feel better, I feel like a big burden or weight has been lifted."  
  
"Because it has, the burden of being a sinner has been removed by God. Now, you'll have life eternally in heaven with God," Emily smiled softly."Congradulations Kai Hiwatari."  
  
"Thanks, hey where's Tala?" Kai asked.  
  
"Oh, he's getting his shoulder fixed up by Judy. He insisted that we take care of you first Kai, while Judy worked on mending your wounds, I brought Tala to Christ also," Emily patted Kai's good shoulder carefully, his right arm was in a sling and Judy had fixed his broken collarbone, it would take a while to heal but he'd be back to normal someday.  
  
"Sounds like you've been busy," Emily laughed and nodded at Kai's words. He looked down at himself as he sat up slowly.  
  
Kai's left leg was all bandaged up where he got shot, and his hand was in a real cast. He was shirtless and had bandages all over his chest. He wore shorts and his legs had a few big bruises. He had a bruise on his right cheek and a small, healing cut on his left one.  
  
"Judy took care of those ribs for you, it should be a little less painful to breath and talk now. She was worried that you wouldn't be able to use your shoulder ever again, but after she fixed it she changed her mind. You'll be fine in a year, maybe less than that," Emily assured.  
  
"Kai!" Tala ran in, his shoulder all bandaged and his arm in a sling. He wore a pair of sweat pants and a baggy tank top."You're still living! We almost lost you!"  
  
Tala had a new glint in his icy eyes, he was happy and it showed when you looked at him. Judy walked in after him.  
  
"Good, you're awake Kai. A little longer and I would've started to worry," Judy smiled, a motherly look in her eyes.  
  
"Tala, what happened to Black Dranzer?!" Kai remembered.  
  
"I found it on our way here and destroyed it, it released the bitbeasts that were stolen and Black Dranzer will never be back. The teams have their beasts back, and here. I'm sure that you'll be wanting this," Tala tossed a blade into Kai's hand.  
  
"Dranzer, but how? My team had it? How'd you get it?" Kai looked over his blue blade. The red phoenix was still in it.  
  
"Simple, they just gave it to me," Tala had a mischievious look in his eyes. He walked over to the door and opened it. Four teammates walked in. Kai looked down at his lap and blade, not wanting to meet their stares.  
  
"Hey, Kai. What's up?" Tyson was first to speak.  
  
Kai was quiet. Max dashed up and peeked up at Kai's face.  
  
"Hi! You look terrible! Are you okay?" Max asked as he caught Kai's gaze. The older boy looked tired and shamed for betraying his team.  
  
"Why do you care? I hurt you," Kai stared at his old team from under blue bangs.  
  
"You're our friend, you made a mistake. We'll forgive you, please come back to the BladeBreakers!" Max and Tyson pleaded.  
  
Mariah walked in and smiled at Kai and then looked at Ray as she stood next to the raven haired teen. Kai looked at Tala who leaned against the wall smiling and Tala nodded for him to go back. Kai asked him something in Russian and the red head answered.  
  
"But Tala, what about you...?" Kai asked.  
  
"I'll be fine...trust me, brother," Tala smirked.  
  
"Alright, if you insist. I'll come back," Kai sighed, earning a round of cheers from his team.  
  
"Tala, we heard about what had happened with the Demolition Boys, why don't you come with us?" Ray asked."I'm sure that you'll have a harder time alone, then with us. Come be a BladeBreaker. I'm sure that Kai would like that."  
  
"Well, ummm....I.." Tala thought.  
  
"Hey baka, just come, please! I don't want to stuck with them all the time. I need my brother to suffer with me!" Kai cried.  
  
"Well, when you put it that way...I don't-" Tala cut himself short when Kai glared at him."Okay, okay. I come! But if they kill me, they stay away from my funeral!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
(A year later, Japan:spring)  
  
Kai and Tala's wounds had healed up nicely, they said their apologies and goodbyes to the teams they had stolen beasts from. They gave their thanks to Judy, Mariah and Emily. And now they were in Japan, Kai invited Tala and his team to live at his inherited mansion.  
  
Kai lay on his bed in his room, his makeup was off, he never wore it anymore. His window was open, letting the sent of newly opened Sakura float through his window. A black Bible sat on his bed side table. And a stack of Christian CD's sat on the shelf above his bed. A stereo system sat on his low dresser, a CD in it waiting to be listened to.  
  
Kai grabbed the CD player's remote and switched it on. Pushing 'play', the sound of P.O.D blared through the house.  
  
"Everyday is a new day,  
  
I'm thankful for every breath I take,  
  
I won't take it for granted,  
  
So I learn from my mistakes,  
  
It's beyond my control, sometimes it's best to let go,  
  
Whatever happens in this lifetime,  
  
So I trust in love,  
  
You have given me peace of mind,  
  
I feel so alive for the very first time,  
  
I can't deny you,  
  
I feel so alive,  
  
I feel so alive for the very first time,  
  
And I think I can fly,  
  
Sunshine upon my face,  
  
A new song for me to sing,  
  
Tell the world how I feel inside,  
  
Even though it might cost me everything,  
  
Now that I know this, so beyond, I can't hold this,  
  
I can never turn my back away,  
  
Now that I've seen you,  
  
I can never look away,  
  
Now that I know you (I could never turn my back away)  
  
Now that I see you (I could never look away)  
  
Now that I know you (I could never turn my back away)  
  
Now that I see you (I believe no matter what they say)  
  
I feel so alive for the very first time,  
  
I can't deny you,  
  
I feel so alive,  
  
I feel so alive for the very first time,  
  
And I think I can fly,"  
  
"Kai Hiwatari! Turn That Down!" Tala stormed into the room."I'm trying to study, you moron!"  
  
"Fine, no need to yell," Kai said turning down the volume and pausing his music."What are you studying?"  
  
"I'm trying to learn to speak Japanese. I'm living in Japan aren't I? I need to learn how to so that I don't need to drag you everywhere to translate, duh," Tala waved his Japanese study book in Kai's face."Now, keep your music down or else!"  
  
" 'Or else' what?" Kai asked.  
  
"Or else...I'll..." Tala thought for a minute.  
  
"I smell smoke, are you burning the toast again?" Kai sniffed the air as Tala thought, he was insulting the red head."Or is it only the gears in your head trying to turn and failing?"  
  
"Hey! I don't have trouble thinking! Unlike a certian blue haired brother of mine!" Tala dropped his book on the desk and jumped Kai, grabbing a pillow he started to bash his brother in the head.  
  
"Stop! Please! You'll flatten my spikes and I look like a girl with my hair down!" Kai pleaded.  
  
"Yeah, a real ugly girl!" Tala jested and noogied Kai, flattening his spikes the rest of the way.  
  
"Aww....crud!" Kai's hair fell around his shoulders as he picked at his limp locks. He glared at the red head who was getting up."Not so fast!"  
  
It was Kai's turn to flatten Tala's hair. In the end they both looked like girls with their hair down. But heck, not all stories have a happy ending.  
  
End  
  
Translations:  
  
Okaasan: Mother  
  
Otoosan: Father  
  
Suki Desu: I love you  
  
Koi: Lover  
  
Onibaba: Demon hag  
  
Hai: Yes  
  
Baka: Idiot/stupid  
  
Miyeko: Beautiful(it's what I named Kai's mom)  
  
This is a song that I loved, it's the 2nd ending song for InuYasha, it's called Fukai Mori or Deep Forest. I used one part for when Kai's mother is singing to him:  
  
fukai fukai mori no oku ni ima mo kitto okizari ni shita kokoro kakushite'ru yo  
  
sagasu hodo no chikara mo naku tsukarehateta hitobito wa eien no yami ni kieru  
  
chisai mama nara kitto ima demo mieta ka na  
  
boku-tachi wa ikiru hodo ni nakushite'ku sukoshi zutsu itsuwari ya uso wo matoi tachisukumu koe mo naku  
  
aoi aoi sora no iro mo kidzukanai mama sugite yuku mainichi ga kawatte yuku  
  
tsukurareta wakugumi wo koe ima wo ikite sabitsuita kokoro mata ugokidasu yo  
  
toki no RIZUMU wo shireba mo ichido toberu darou  
  
boku-tachi wa samayoi nagara ikite yuku doko made mo shinjite'ru hikari motome arukidasu kimi to ima  
  
boku-tachi wa samayoi nagara ikite yuku doko made mo shinjite'ru hikari motome arukidasu kimi to ima  
  
boku-tachi wa samayoi nagara ikite yuku doko made mo shinjite'ru hikari motome arukidasu kimi to ima  
  
boku-tachi wa samayoi nagara ikite yuku doko made mo furikaeru michi wo tozashi aruite'ku eien ni  
  
tachisukumu koe mo naku ikite yuku eien ni  
  
Translation for Fukai Mori(Deep Forest)*the part I used will be in italics*:  
  
I'm sure that the heart I left behind still lies hidden in the heart of the deep, deep forest.  
  
Exhausted, without the strength to search people vanish into the infinite darkness.  
  
If it's so small, I wonder if I can see it even now?  
  
As we live on, we lose a little bit more. Shrouded in falsehoods and lies, we stand frozen to the spot, unable to cry out  
  
The days pass by and change, without us even realizing how blue the sky really is.  
  
Overcoming that made-up scheme, we live the present, and our rusted hearts begin to beat again!  
  
If we can find the rhythm of time, we can fly once again  
  
We live our lives wandering to the ends of the earth. Believing (in you?), now I begin my journey with you, in search of the light.  
  
We live our lives wandering to the ends of the earth. Believing (in you?), now I begin my journey with you, in search of the light.  
  
We live our lives wandering to the ends of the earth. Closing off the way back, we walk on for eternity.  
  
We live our lives standing frozen to the spot, unable to cry out, for eternity...  
  
_________________________________________________________  
  
How This Story Came Into Being:  
  
I was in a bad mood, and got into a fight with my big brother. My Dad grounded me and took away my anime stuff and friends. And Judo was supposed to be in an hour! I was grounded from that too.  
  
After that I was in a angsty-dark mood and sat in the dark on my bed wearing black, with a pad of paper and pencil that I hide in the crack between my matress and the foot of the bed. Using the flashlight that I was holding in my mouth, I had enough light to write a story. I wrote the beginning of this fic.  
  
When I finished writing, it was 10:37PM and my sister(I share a room and bunk bed with her, I'm on the top bunk) was going to bed.  
  
The next few days I was still grounded and just sat in my bed writing. My mom got worried because I wasn't eating much, if I even ate anything. She called Dad and he ungrounded me. She told me and I quickly jumped out of bed and dashed to my computer to type up what I had written.  
  
It took me forever to write what I had written on paper and then I wrote what I had still in my head.  
  
And now you can see that I _do_ have and evil side and that I'm scary when I'm mad^-^.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ Thank you for reading this. Cookies and cake for all those who review. I'm glad you survived this story and hope you'll read my others. I own none of the music in this fiction, it's by P.O.D, Steven Curtis Chapman, and Do As Infinity(the people who sing Fukai Mori). I've been trying to draw a picture of Kai(and maybe Tala) with his hair down. If I do I'll post it on DeviantArt(I have a link to my section in my bio).  
  
Domo Arigato,  
Rinnalaiss Turegwaithen 


End file.
